This invention relates to a print cartridge attaching device by which an image carrying body and at least one image forming device in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine and a printer, can be integrallly withdrawn from and inserted into a body of the apparatus.
In a known image forming apparatus, image forming devices, such as a primary static charger, an image exposing portion, a developing device, a transfer static charger and a cleaner, are arranged around the periphery of an image carrying body. After the surface of the image carrying body is uniformly electrostatically charged by the primary static charger, the image is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image, and this electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device into a visible image. This visible image is transferred to paper by the transfer static charger. The paper is fed to a fixing device for fixing purposes, and the residual toner on the image carrying body is cleaned off by the cleaner.
In such an image forming apparatus, the lifetime of the image carrying body as well as the lifetime of the image forming devices are short, and they need to be periodically inspected, repaired and exchanged. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open (Kokai) Patent Application No. 65049/87, an image carrying body and some of image forming devices are integrally formed into a print cartridge, and the print cartridge is removably attached to the body of the apparatus, thereby facilitating a maintenance such as inspection, repair and exchange operations.
Such attachment and detachment operation is expected to be done not only by service staff but also by an ordinary user, and therefore it is desirable to carry out such attachment and detachment without the need for cumbersome operation. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 237671/89, a print cartridge can be inserted into and withdrawn from an apparatus body by the use of slide rails. With this arrangement, however, when the print cartridge is inserted into the apparatus body to be attached thereto, the print cartridge may be withdrawn therefrom due to vibration or the like.